Franck X. Arnold
Managing Director & Regional Vice-President
The Savoy Hotel in London

Franck Arnold has thirty years in the hospitality industry and brings a wealth of experience from working for well-known luxury brands and independent hotels in North America and Europe. He joined The Savoy in September 2020 with a clear vision to navigate the hotel through the global pandemic, remaining true to its heritage as the home of luxurious innovation in the UK.

Franck began his journey into hospitality attending the Hotel School of Strasbourg (France), earning a Hotel Management and Culinary Arts degree, followed by a Masters in Hotel Administration from IMHI Cornell-ESSEC (Paris) and his M.B.A from Henley Management College (UK).

Franck’s entrance to the industry began with InterContinental Hotel’s Corporate Management Training Program. His roles included Assistant Restaurant Manager, Rooms Division Manager Trainee, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage and Executive Assistant Manager. During his thirteen years with IHG, these leadership positions had Franck moving from Paris, to London, to Athens, to Brussels and on to Madrid, all prior to moving to North America where he served as Hotel Manager at the Barclay Intercontinental in New York. Franck then went on to join The Four Seasons Chicago as Hotel Manager before taking the role of Managing Director of the exquisite Jefferson hotel in Washington, DC. He then moved his family back across the Atlantic to Edinburgh Scotland where he was General Manager of The Balmoral, a five-star iconic Rocco Forte Hotel for five years. During his time at The Balmoral Franck became a Master Innholder and was given the Freedom of The City of London.

In 2016, Franck took on the role of General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, where he was awarded the Forbes Five-Star every year from 2016, and received the humanitarian award from the Hotel Association of Canada in 2018.

Shumi Khan
SVP Business Intelligence & Revenue Management Accor Hotels
Chair of the HSMAI Europe Revenue Optimization Advisory Board

Shumi brings a wealth of experience in the field of analytics from previous roles across multiple industries. Within the hospitality sector she has worked in the revenue and analytics space at JAC Travel and Expedia.

She has many years of experience of addressing business problems and taking actionable recommendations gained through a combination of consulting and in-house roles within industry covering areas such as pricing, loyalty, innovation, new market evaluation, M&A advisory and digital migration.

Highly numerate with the ability to use analytical tools and techniques in order to make sense of data and drive business strategy. Strong communication skills and commercially focused. Experienced at leading teams.

Debra Patterson
Director of Quality and Sustainability
The Savoy

Debra Patterson has been part of The Savoy family for over 27 years and is the driving force behind the hotel’s journey to significantly reduce its environmental impact.

Joining as assistant to the Regional General Manager in 1997, Debra has progressed her career to a Director level role that combines both quality and sustainability to support the hotel’s goals.

Demonstrating a true passion for sustainability in hospitality, Debra has overseen the implementation of a diverse range of innovative and creative initiatives that have attracted national and international industry recognition for The Savoy; notably Virtuoso Best of the Best Award: Sustainable Tourism Leadership Hotel; European Hospitality Awards ‘Green Hotel of the Year’.

Whilst ensuring sustainability remains a core value at The Savoy, Debra’s role crosses over into the guest experience as she works with her team to oversee the regular in depth analysis of quality performance, with the sole focus on guest satisfaction and delivering a standard of excellence that is never compromised. Debra is also responsible for driving The Savoy’s efforts to retain its Forbes five-star status each year, overseeing the extensive and meticulous training required across departments to continuously achieve this accolade.

Debra herself was named as one of the 50 Most Influential People in British Luxury in The Walpole Power List 2020 for her contribution to the development of Walpole’s Luxury Sustainability Manifesto and sustainable work.

Scott Jakins
General Manager
Staybridge Suites London Vauxhall

Award Winning General Manager with a wealth of experience in managing multiple brands for both IHG, Hilton & Taj Hotels & Resorts.  Having worked for LGH, Ambridge Hotels UK and now Cycas Hospitality, Scott has extensive operational knowledge of franchise operations and the relationship between owners, management companies and brands. Scott has had experience in managing IHG brands Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn & Staybridge Suites. In his current role he oversees the operation of the Staybridge Suites London – Vauxhall, which is the top ranked property for Guest Love across all brands in the UK & I YTD 2024 and maintains its position as the highest ranked IHG hotel in London for the past 16 months.  Furthermore, Scott’s position is Cycas supports the groups overall portfolio of 8 IHG properties across Europe. In April 2024, Scott received the IHG Owners Impact Award – Leadership, for outstanding contribution to Ownership Relations and overall hotel performance.

Terence Baker
News editor, Europe, Middle East & Africa
Hotel News Now

The panel discussion will be moderated by Terence Baker, an accomplished journalist and editor with over 20 years of expertise in the hospitality industry. He is currently the News Editor, Europe, Middle East & Africa at Hotel News Now, renowned for his insightful coverage of the latest industry trends and market insights. Terence is an engaging speaker, with a talent for breaking down complex topics into accessible and informative presentations. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and insights to help others gain a deeper understanding of the industry.

Chris Keates
Account Director at IHG Hotels & Resorts
Member of the HSMAI Europe Rising Leaders council

Chris Keates is an Account Director at IHG Hotels & Resorts and a member of the HSMAI Europe Rising Leaders council. Named HSMAI Europe Young Talent of the Year 2021. Chris has a a proven track record in sales, operations, and MICE & Corporate Sales, furthermore Chris is adept at navigating the complexities of the industry. Holding a BA (Hons) in Corporate Event and Conference Management with a focus on Events Management from Bucks New University, Chris is well-equipped to drive success in any venture he undertakes. With his passion for excellence and dedication to professional growth.